Wintertime Car Battery Maintenance

As we reach the zenith of winter here in Ramsey County, you will undoubtedly be contending with a lot of issues as you try and stay warm and safe while faced with a variety of weather-related issues.

One of the most common and most frustrating ordeals to contend with during the winter months is a dead car battery.

Low temperatures affect your battery in a couple of ways. First, since oil has a tendency to thicken in cold weather, it takes more work for your engine to turn over. Second, external frigidity slows down the chemical reactions that occur inside of batteries to generate electricity.

Here are a few things you can do in order to avoid encountering problems with your car battery between now and the onset of spring:

Get a Test.
If your battery is three years old, it’s recommended that a specialist run a diagnosis on it to make sure it’s fully operational. Even new batteries can lose significant power in below-freezing temperatures so having an expert take a quick look at your engine-starter is advisable during the winter.

Give it a Break.
Using car accessories that draw power from your battery force it to work harder and drain quicker. Accessories that are powered by your battery can include lights, your sound system and electrical devices plugged into the internal power socket(s).

Trickle Up.
A simple and popular way to make sure your battery is properly charged is to invest in a ‘trickle charger’. These low-amp chargers are easy to install/use and take pressure off of your alternator, which can only produce a small amount of wattage and wasn’t designed to charge a dead battery.

Winter is a challenging time for drivers in Minnesota and being confronted with a car that won’t start is the last thing anyone wants to deal with this time of year. If you have any issues starting your vehicle or if you have any questions whatsoever about its health, be sure to give AM-PM Automotive a call at 651-426-0462 – our ASE-certified technicians are dedicated to keeping you safely on the road year-round!